The Fall of the White-Gold Tower
by The Faz
Summary: My take on the epic battle for The Imperial City during the Great War. Review and let me known what you think.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue **

In the years following the Oblivion Crisis and the death of the Septims, the Empire was in chaos. In the Summerset Isles, off the coast of Tamriel, a group of Altmer extremists gained control of the government of the Isles and created the Second Aldmeri Dominion. The first Dominion had been wiped out more than 700 years ago, long before the creation of the Septim Empire. The Thalmor had claimed that they were the ones responsible for ending the oblivion Crisis, although most within the Empire were aware that it was in fact Martin Septim's ultimate sacrifice that had ended the Crisis. Non-the-less, the Thalmor used this lie to gain control of the Isles and soon Valenwood and Elsywer. The Thalmor were responsible for the assassination of Chancellor Ocato, which further threw the Empire into chaos. Warlords fought over control of the dying Empire, with no clear victor in sight.

When the infighting was done, Titus Mede stood as the new Emperor. While he was a strong military leader, Titus I prove to be a less than effective emperor. His son, Attrebus, soon ascended the throne in his place. He appointed Alaundo Oakleaf,a Bosmer from Valenwood, as Chancellor of the Elder Council, an office which had remained empty after the death of Chancellor Ocato. For the next 100 years, the Empire declined further and further while the Aldmeri Dominion grew stronger as the years went by.

In 4E 168, Titus Mede II ascended the throne of a weakened empire. Three years later, an ambassador from the Dominion demanded the surrender of the Empire to the Dominion. Titus II refused the orders of the ambassador and prepared the Empire for war. He was too late, however, as armies from the Dominion simultaneously attacked Cyrodiil and Hammerfell. For three years, the Empire struggled to keep the Empire away from the Imperial City but their forces were slowly being pushed back further and further into their own territory.

In 4E 174, the Dominion was finally within striking range of the Imperial City in the heart of Cyrodiil. Titus II and Chancellor Oakleaf discussed many plans in order to defend the city but realized that the city would fall regardless of what they did. They concocted the plan that would allow the Dominion to think that they had won while the forces under the command of the Emperor would be able to regroup with the army of Nords coming down from Skyrim.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter I **

"The throne suits you, old friend" Titus Mede said, facing the Ruby Throne.

"I don't want it and you know it but someone has to be sitting in it when the damn Thalmor come to smash it to pieces." Chancellor Alaundo Oakleaf said. He was a Bosmer of advanced years. He had fought in the Oblivion Crisis as a young man but his advanced age was finally beginning to show. He was, however, still as a good a fighter as he was the day Daedra had poured out of a portal not far from his home.

"I still insist that you come with us when we escape the city" the Emperor said, "You know what the Altmer will do to you when they find you here. Besides, it's me they want, not you."

"Titus, please." The old Bosmer said, "A chancellor can be replaced easily. An emperor is a little bit harder to replace, don't you think old friend?"

Titus Mede let out a loud laugh that echoed throughout the empty room before he spoke, "I suppose so Alaundo. Still, why is it that you must die?"

"Look at me and tell me what you see." Alaundo said seriously.

"I don't understand what you mean" The emperor said.

"What you see is an old man, well past his prime but is still able and willing to fight. " The old chancellor said, "Make no mistake, my liege, I have no intention of dying alone. I plan to take this Lord Naarifin with me to the grave and perhaps some of his bastard men too."

"Very well" Titus Mede said, "However, I don't intend to leave you without some kind of guard. I will leave two Blade agents with you to help defend you, even though I know it's a death sentence for them. And before you say anything, they volunteered for this. Their grandmaster seems to think that it would be a grand insult to the Thalmor to have their best general killed by Blades."

The two old friends shared a laugh before the emperor departed from the throne room to observe the approaching Aldmeri army. The two Blade agents came in after the emperor had left and closed shut the massive iron doors with wooden beams. One of the Blades, a young Breton, handed the Chancellor an ancient Akaviri Blade, which he said had belonged to the 7th Champion of Cyrodiil. He thanked the young man, latched the belt and scabbard around his waist and returned to the Ruby Throne and sat down, with the two Blade agents standing on his left and his right. For the briefest of moments, Alaundo felt like an emperor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2 **

The attack came in the early hours of the morning. The first section to be destroyed by their fire was the Waterfront, where many of the poor had lived for most of their lives. Several ships were destroyed by the Thalmor as they pressed their advance toward to city. They attacked from the South, West and East, smashing any resistance as they made their advance. Emperor Titus II had sent a company from the Eighth Legion to try and slow their advance in order to better prepare the city's defenses but it was a futile move, for the Thalmor numbers ranked within the thousands. Siege weapons laid siege to the city, causing massive damage. The only safe place was within the sewers below the city or in the White-Gold Tower.

The city watch, now no more than a shell of what it had been, did their best to defend the walls of the city alongside the men of the Legion. For days, arrow upon arrow was released from the wall toward the massive army outside of the walls but it never made a difference. The sheer number of soldiers the Aldmeri Dominion had at their disposal made any attempt to lower their numbers a futile attempt and a waste of good arrows. Titus Mede II directed the troops himself, while Chancellor Oakleaf remained within the White-Gold Tower.

High above the city, Alaundo could see just how massive the army of the Aldmeri Dominion was. From every side, he couldn't see any grass and what few trees there were had been cut down for fuel. Alaundo had donned the Imperial Dragon armor that Titus's father, Attrebus II, had made for him long ago when Alaundo had first become Chancellor of the Elder Council. It was weathered from long years of use and it bore several large gash marks, which had been obtained from attacks by bandits on a tour of the Imperial Providence many years ago. The Blades that were stationed with Alaundo had donned their full uniforms, including their helmets, which protected their heads from deadly strikes but also narrowed their vision in combat.

The Blades, one a young Breton and the other an older Imperial, were watching the battle taking place below. They could see the city burning beneath their feet and could occasionally feel a rumble from the impact of rubble being hurled over the walls by the Thalmor and destroying buildings. Several hours passed in with the muffled sounds of battle growing louder and louder until the Imperial Blade spoke.

"Chancellor Oakleaf, the Emperor and his army are breaking out of the city!" he said.

"I know. That was his plan all along" Alaundo said wearily, "He told me that he would try to kill as many of the Dominion forces as he could and would break out of the city with the main army when the battle looked to be hopeless. The Eighth Legion's been deployed to delay the Dominion forces enough to allow the army to escape."

"But Chancellor, why would you stay behind?" the young Breton Blade asked.

Alaundo let out a small chuckle before he answered the young man's question, "Young man, I'm old and knew full well that when this war began, I wouldn't live to see its end. Some high official of the Empire must die in order to rally all of the Empire to destroy the Dominion. I'm willing to do this for my people. But don't think me a fool. I plan to take as many of those motherless Thalmor as I can with me."

"I will stand and die with you, my lord" the Breton said as dropped to a knee.

"And I as well, my liege" the aged Imperial said after.

Alaundo rose from the Ruby Throne and walked toward the window where the two Blades were kneeling before him. He placed a hand on each of their shoulders and spoke with the kind voice of his people, "Thank you. Both of you. You are the bravest Blades I have ever had the honor of knowing. Know that our sacrifice shall not be in vein."

A bang at the twin iron doors caught Alaundo and the Blades' attention; they all knew that it meant. Alaundo returned to the Throne, sword at his side, and sat down. The Breton and Imperial took their places at the Chancellor's side and waited for the Thalmor to come through.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3 **

_Boom! _

_Boom!_

_BOOM!_

The doors of the throne room burst open against the battering rams of the Aldmeri Dominion. Like the rest of the equipment they used, it was a dark gold and was built to destroy even the strongest of doors. The doors clattered to the floor loudly as Thalmor soldiers entered the throne room. As they entered, they saw Alaundo and his guards by the Ruby Throne. Several of them drew their bows and prepared to fire until a voice from outside the room spoke out.

"Wait!" the voice said.

Several of the soldiers turned their heads toward the voice and bowed as they saw the man who had spoken enter the large room. It was Lord Naarifin, supreme commander of all of the Dominion's forces in Cyrodiil. He was dressed in the black hooded robes of the Thalmor Wizards. He had a long, forked beard that ended at his chest. It was grey from age and slightly singed, no doubt from the attack on the city.

"Lord High Chancellor" Naarifin said, "Stand down. There is no need for you to needlessly throw away your life. Be reasonable, my lord. It would be a waste of life for you and your two men here to die."

Alaundo laughed.

The Blades placed their hands on their swords.

"My dear Lord Naarifin" Alaundo said with a smile, "You come here, burn my city, kill my people and expect me to just surrender? You're more foolish than I had first thought. No, my dear Lord Naarifin, I will die here and you with me." Alaundo rose from the Ruby Throne and drew his blade from its scabbard; his bodyguards did the same.

The smile on Lord Naarifin's face faded away and a scowl took its place. His mouth slightly twitched in anger.

"So be it" he said coldly. As he turned toward the door, Naarifin waved his hand toward the Altmer soldiers that had their bows drawn. Arrows were let loose from the bows and sped toward the Chancellor and his men. The two Blades raised their shields to protect themselves and Alaundo from the arrows, which impacted and cut through the shields. The Altmer soldiers attempted to redraw more arrows from their quivers but were distracted by a shout that came from the young Breton Blade.

"For the Emperor!" the young Blade said as he dropped his shield on the floor and charged toward the legion of soldiers before him.

"For the Emperor!" the old Imperial and Alaundo said, joining their comrade in his charge toward the waiting soldiers.

The Altmer dropped their bows and drew their swords. The dark gold of their blades sown throughout the room. Alaundo and his Blade protectors closed in on a young Altmer soldier who was in the process of drawing his sword. With one swing of his blade, Alaundo took the head off of the young Elf. Steel clashed on steel as the Blades fought against the Altmer soldiers, slaying several of them.

Elven swords struck at Alaundo's armor but the Armor of the Dragon was too strong for their blades. It was said that only a blade made of the same material as the armor could cut fully through it. Several minutes past and the Blades fought valiantly to kill as many of the Altmer as possible and get to Lord Naarifin. The first of them to fall was the old Imperial, when one of the archers off in the distance pierced his throat with an arrow. Saddened at the loss of their comrade, Alaundo and the young Breton fought harder to cut through the ranks of Dominion soldiers to get to their general.

The next to fall was the young Breton. He had managed to charge, or rather kill, his way through the Dominion soldiers and attacked Naarifin. The genera was swifter than the Breton had thought, for as the young Blade swung his sword at Naarifin, he stepped quickly to the side, drew his golden dagger and imbedded it in the Breton's skull.

Alaundo witnessed this and rage grew within him. Although he had been fully aware that the three of them would die at the hands of the Dominion, he had come to care for the two Blades in the short time that he had known them. He killed several Dominion soldiers, one of which was a fellow Bosmer from Valenwood, and charged toward Naarifin, rage blinding him to all others around him.

The Chancellor raised his blade above his head and brought it down hard against Naarifin as he came closer to the Altmer general. Naarifin attempted to use the same tactic that he had used against the Breton but Alaundo was aware of this and dodged it. He was surprisingly nimble for his years. Naarifin drew his blade dueled with Alaundo, ordering none of his soldiers in interfere. The ancient Akaviri blade slammed time after time against Naarirfin's Elven sword but it would not break.

Alaundo tried one last time to bring his sword down on Naarifin but he was too slow. Naarifin was quicker than Alaundo and slashed at his legs, causing the Chancellor to scream out in pain and fall to his knees. The Akaviri sword fell from Alaundo's hands as he knelt there, blooding pouring out from the back of his legs. Naarifin kicked the blade away from Alaundo's reach and knelt down to look Alaundo in the face.

"Yield, Oakleaf" Naarifin said, "You've lost."

The high chancellor said nothing but he spit in his Naarifin's face. The general wiped the spit from his face and chuckled softly.

"Very well, Chancellor. You've chosen your path. I'll send your head to the Emperor on a platter. He'll be dead soon enough, don't worry." Naarifin said.

Naarifin motioned to two soldiers that were standing near him. He ordered them to hold Alaundo down and hold out his neck. They did as they were ordered but Alaundo willingly held out his neck, which surprised the two soldiers. Lord Naarifin raised his sword high in the air and brought it down hard on Alaundo's neck.

"_Titus_" Alaundo said softly to himself, "_I'm sorry_."

The old Bosmer's head detached from his neck before the blade even hit the floor. Naarifin tossed his sword on the floor, some of the blood dripping and spreading from his sword. He grabbed Alaundo's head by its hair and held it up for him to look in the eye. He smirked slightly.

"Stick this on a spike" Naarifin said as he tossed Alaundo's head toward one of the men near Alaundo's headless body.


	5. Chapter 5

**Epilogue**

After the death of Chancellor Oakleaf, the Imperial City was sacked by the attacking Dominion forces. The people who had survived the attack on the city suffered horrible atrocities at the hands of the Thalmor. Alaundo's head was stuck on a spike facing toward the North, where the armies of the Empire were massing for an assault to retake the city. The head was later sent to the Emperor on a silver platter, just as Lord Naarifin had told Alaundo he would. His body was left to rot where he'd been executed in the throne room. The bodies of the two Blades were skinned and hung outside the gates of Bruma by Altmer scouts, which was just south of Cloud Ruler Temple, the home of the Blades.

Nearly a year after the fall of the Imperial City and the White-Gold Tower, Titus II clashed with Dominion forces less than a mile north of the Imperial City, in the battle known as the Battle of the Red Ring. It was a crushing defeat for the Dominion, with most of its army destroyed and Lord Naarifin captured. The city was retaken and Alaundo's body laid to rest beneath the Temple of the One and Statue of the Avatar of Akatosh. Not long after that, the war ended, with Titus signing the White-Gold Concordat.

Naarifin was left to rot in a cage tangling from the top of the White-Gold Tower for thirty days before he mysteriously disappeared. Some claim to have witnesses a winged Daedra take the Altmer general on the thirty-first day of his imprisonment and fly away north with him. His body was never found. Tinion Quaceius, a member of the Elder Council from Cyrodiil, was appointed as Chancellor following the news of Alaundo's death. Titus Mede II was assassinated under mysterious circumstances in the year 4E 201 by an unknown assassin.

Legate Tullius was promoted to general following the death of General Francois Motierre, who had been the commander of the Eighth Legion when it was sacrificed in order for the Emperor and his army to escape the city. Tullius was later appointed military governor of Skyrim for the duration of the civil war that ravaged Skyrim in 4E 201.


End file.
